Mammalian sexual differentiation: lessons from the spotted hyena
- PMID: 17010637
- DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2006.09.005
Mammalian sexual differentiation: lessons from the spotted hyena
Abstract
Female spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) are the only female mammals that lack an external vaginal opening. Mating and birth take place through a urogenital canal that exits at the tip of a hypertrophied clitoris. This 'masculine' phenotype spurred a search for an alternate source of fetal androgens. Although androstenedione from the maternal ovary is readily metabolized to testosterone by the hyena placenta, formation of the penile clitoris and scrotum appear to be largely androgen independent. However, secretions from the fetal testes underlie sex differences in the genitalia and central nervous system that are essential for male reproduction. Naturally circulating androgens, acting prenatally, reduce reproductive success in adult female spotted hyenas. Effects on aggression and dominance might offset these reproductive 'costs' of female androgenization in utero.
Similar articles
-
Sexual differentiation in three unconventional mammals: spotted hyenas, elephants and tammar wallabies.Horm Behav. 2005 Nov;48(4):403-17. doi: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2005.07.013. Epub 2005 Sep 28. Horm Behav. 2005. PMID: 16197946 Review.
-
Endocrine differentiation of fetal ovaries and testes of the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta): timing of androgen-independent versus androgen-driven genital development.Reproduction. 2006 Oct;132(4):649-59. doi: 10.1530/rep.1.01120. Reproduction. 2006. PMID: 17008476
-
A neuroanatomical comparison of humans and spotted hyena, a natural animal model for common urogenital sinus: clinical reflections on feminizing genitoplasty.J Urol. 2006 Jan;175(1):276-83. doi: 10.1016/S0022-5347(05)00014-5. J Urol. 2006. PMID: 16406926
-
The ontogeny of the urogenital system of the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta Erxleben).Biol Reprod. 2005 Sep;73(3):554-64. doi: 10.1095/biolreprod.105.041129. Epub 2005 May 25. Biol Reprod. 2005. PMID: 15917348
-
Spotted hyaenas and the sexual spectrum: reproductive endocrinology and development.J Endocrinol. 2020 Oct;247(1):R27-R44. doi: 10.1530/JOE-20-0252. J Endocrinol. 2020. PMID: 32755997 Review.
Cited by
-
Multivariate Models of Animal Sex: Breaking Binaries Leads to a Better Understanding of Ecology and Evolution.Integr Comp Biol. 2023 Oct 10;63(4):891-906. doi: 10.1093/icb/icad027. Integr Comp Biol. 2023. PMID: 37156506 Free PMC article.
-
Behavioural and physiological plasticity in social hierarchies.Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2022 Feb 28;377(1845):20200443. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0443. Epub 2022 Jan 10. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2022. PMID: 35000436 Free PMC article.
-
Sex Differences in Spotted Hyenas.Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol. 2022 Jun 14;14(6):a039180. doi: 10.1101/cshperspect.a039180. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol. 2022. PMID: 34649923 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Exceptional endocrine profiles characterise the meerkat: sex, status, and reproductive patterns.Sci Rep. 2016 Oct 18;6:35492. doi: 10.1038/srep35492. Sci Rep. 2016. PMID: 27752129 Free PMC article.
-
Anatomy of mole external genitalia: Setting the record straight.Anat Rec (Hoboken). 2016 Mar;299(3):385-99. doi: 10.1002/ar.23309. Epub 2016 Jan 30. Anat Rec (Hoboken). 2016. PMID: 26694958 Free PMC article.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
